One Movie Punch

Hi everyone! 

I had an absolute blast catching up on movies over vacation, in addition to reading a few books and playing video games, along with binging a little known television show called, and let me make sure I get this right, “Game of Thrones”. Currently on Season 5, a little behind but I’ve read the books. Years ago. Also, Joffrey can burn in hell. Spoilers?

Anyway, one of those films I finally got to see was director and cinematographer Jeremy Saulnier’s “Blue Ruin”. Check out my reviews of his more recent films, including the incredibly brutal “Green Room” (Episode #054) and the brutally incredible “Hold The Dark” (Episode #272). None of these films are for the weak of heart, no matter how beautiful each can be in its own way. 

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay current with all the latest reviews. And make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “Blue Ruin”, the neo-noir action film written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier. The film follows Dwight Evans (Macon Blair), a beach vagrant who learns that the man convicted for killing his parents is being released from prison. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he seeks out an act of revenge that re-ignites a feud between the two families, and leads to a horrific ending.

No spoilers.

Jeremy Saulnier and Macon Blair have a long history of collaboration. “Blue Ruin” isn’t even their first collaboration, which goes all the way back to 1998 for a short entitled “Goldfarb” and another short in 2004 called “Crabwalk”, right before Saulnier’s first feature film called “Murder Party” in 2007. After that, Saulnier disappeared into the world of cinematography, and Blair into the world of acting, until reuniting for “Blue Ruin”, and with “Green Room” and “Hold The Dark”, continued their collaboration into new, exciting, and critically praised territories.

“Blue Ruin” almost serves as a reboot to Saulnier’s filmography, taking all those years of cinematography experience and investing it into crafting films that makes sure the story and medium compliment each other. From the very start, our senses are assaulted with various shades of blue, generally considered a tranquil color, but also a color meant to symbolize masculinity. We watch Dwight living by the blue ocean out of his blue car, having a seemingly tranquil life until he’s informed of the release of Wade Cleland (Sandy Barnett). He goes from tranquil to something more primal, at times hunter and hunted, predator and prey, and along the way, we see small and large swatches of blue, both where we expect it and where we don’t. It’s a film to be seen to be believed.

Of course, you should only see the film if you’re ready for some direct violence. Once the switch is flipped within Dwight, from managing day to day, seemingly without purpose, to a driven character, the film becomes startlingly brutal. Each death feels a lot more realistic than the usual “one and done” kills in most action thrillers, with a lot of pain and suffering. Dwight’s journey reignites the feud, and rather than one side ending up as a victor, we head towards a strangely twisted stalemate, at least until one family or the other decides to seek retribution again. Macon Blair does a convincing job from beginning to end, making us believe Dwight at each stage of the way.

“Blue Ruin” is the film that reignited Jeremy Saulnier’s career and his collaborative work with Macon Blair, a neo-noir thriller between two intertwined families seeking retribution for past sins. Saulnier brings the cinematographer’s eye to the entire film, playing with the color blue both within and out of context, somehow making the brutal beautiful, and the beautiful brutal. Fans of neo-noir films, especially Saulnier’s later work, should definitely check out this tight little film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 77

One Movie Punch: 7.8/10

“Blue Ruin” (2013) is rated Rand is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

So, I know everyone and their siblings have already reviewed today’s film, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to lay down my own thoughts. Once I caught my breath from laughing so much. I’ll get to that in a little bit, but be sure to check out my review for “Aquaman” (Episode #366), which kicked off season two here at One Movie Punch. And once you’re done with that, be sure to subscribe to the podcast, and follow us on social media. Details in the closing.

Shazam! I mean... Enjoy!

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Today’s movie is “Shazam!” (2019), the latest entry into the DC Extended Universe, directed by David F. Sandberg and written for the screen by Henry Gayden based on a story developed in collaboration with Darren Lemke. The film follows Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a teenage foster child seeking his lost biological mother. However, after escaping some bullies by ducking into a subway car, he’s given an ancient power that transforms him into Shazam (Zachary Levi).

No spoilers!

I can’t tell you how glad I am that the DC Extended Universe is finally getting their stuff together. The franchise has had its share of stumbles, including a lukewarm reception for “Man of Steel”, followed by two stinkers in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Martha”... I mean “Dawn of Justice”... and “Suicide Squad”. “Wonder Woman” was a refreshing entry, breathing new life into the franchise, even as “Justice League” seemed to crash and burn with most people. Personally, I liked it a lot. “Aquaman” was a fun, if somewhat cluttered entry.

And now, we have “Shazam!”, which is the funniest and perhaps the first genuinely heartwarming entry. “Shazam!” seemed like an odd choice since we’re missing standalone films from some other Justice League members, not to mention that the character’s original name under Fawcett Comics which was – let me check my notes here – Captain Marvel. It’s a fun story about copyrights if you have the time to search Wikipedia. Nevertheless, I’m glad we have “Shazam!”, because it gives me a great deal of confidence in the future of the shared universe, should the powers that be decide that’s the way to go.

In many ways, “Shazam!” seems like another re-introduction by the DC Extended Universe, a straight-ahead origin story set in Philadelphia, away from the larger cities of Gotham and Metropolis, and away from the vast kingdoms of Themyscira and Atlantis. We get our first street-level superhero origin story, picking and choosing amongst the various versions of Billy Batson. Asher Angel and Zachary Levi do an excellent job complimenting each other’s performances in their dual forms as Billy and Shazam, not just having similar mannerisms, but keeping the same level of emotion between transformations. The comedy mostly feels natural, certainly more natural and genuine than the hastily inserted comedy of “Justice League” and the somewhat forced comedy within “Aquaman”. One could say that “Shazam!” does with comedy what “Wonder Woman” does with epic heroism.

However, the film also has some very dark parts, earning a PG-13 rating with some pretty terrifying scenes, both fantastic and realistic. Certainly a lot darker than the trailers had us believe. I don’t think there’s anything to merit the minor hysteria from some corners of the Internet, but I flinched more than once. The monster design for each of the Seven Deadly Sins was incredible, but also potentially nightmare inducing, particularly with all the straight-up murder. The darker elements do help accentuate the comedy, though, particularly the comic relief. It’s scary, but a good kind of scary, one that any thirteen year old should be able to handle.

I have a few criticisms, echoed by many other reviewers. Almost all the comedy elements are well done, which makes the few that do feel forced stick out like sore thumbs, and sometimes overstay their welcome. The story could have been streamlined a little more, perhaps saving his quest to find his mother for another film. The continuity bits are well done when they are subtle, like the superhero paraphernalia and toys, but also left a lot to be desired in terms of building towards another team-up film. All of these criticisms, however, pale in comparison to how well done the rest of the film is, and the promise of other films within its own franchise. Maybe bring in someone to team-up for a bit next time?

“Shazam!” is easily the funniest entry into the DC Extended Universe, a well-crafted re-imagining of Billy Batson. Where the other films are soaked within their character’s extensive backstories, “Shazam!” gives us a straight-ahead, wonderous, and heartwarming origin story. Fans of superhero films, and anyone who enjoys a good laugh, should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%(CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 71

One Movie Punch: 8.5/10

“Shazam!” (2019) is rated PG-13and is currently playing intheaters.

Hi everyone!

It’s official! We’re back from Spring Break! The podcast got so much love while we were away resting, relaxing, and raiding absolutely everything from multiple tombs in South America. At least I was. Well, technically, it was Lara Croft. Anyway, if you’re subscribed out there, let us know by commenting on today’s post with #WelcomeBackOMP, and who knows, maybe you’ll get a shout out on an upcoming episode!

As we work on ramping up with our usual team of reviewers, I’ll be filling the next two weeks with movies I had the pleasure of watching during the break. A nice mix of old and new films. Andrew Campbell will be back on Friday with his regular Fantastic Fest reviews. And the rest will be along sooner than you think. 

For today’s review, however, we’re going with a review from last year for a film by JR and the late Angés Varda. Varda passed away on March 29thof this year, leaving a huge gap in the French film and art scene. Her filmography includes over 54 directing credits, with her first film, “La Pointe Courte” (1955), which helped usher in the French New Wave scene.

“Faces Places” still has a 99% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 94 Must See rating at Metacritic. You can catch the documentary streaming on Netflix and Kanopy, and it’s available for purchase at major digital outlets. If you’re looking for a documentary that puts a smile on your face, this is it.

Rest in peace, Agnés Varda.

Thanks for all your incredible work!

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Today’s movie is “Faces Places” (2017), the 2017 Oscar-nominated documentary from JR and Agnés Varda. The documentary was filmed while JR and Agnés Varda traveled across rural France in a box truck taking photographs of the people they meet, and form an unlikely friendship in the process, delving into their own stories and other stories on a variety of topics.

A little background for folks not familiar with either JR or Agnés Varda. Varda has been making art for almost her entire life, best known for her film work in the French New Wave movement, but also for installations and photography. JR is a pseudonym for one of France’s most notorious street artists, and has been involved in a number of installations and projects, both licensed and unlicensed, eventually winning the TED Prize for 2010 and starting the Inside Out Project, which uses mobile photobooths hidden in trucks to take and print black and white portraits.

The artworld can be a fickle place, sometimes overtly dominated by the egos of artists and buyers alike, wrestling with difficult questions about what is and is not art, often decided with checkbooks and popular opinion more often than any serious reasoning. Which makes “Faces Places” so refreshing in its playfulness and its lack of ego. Varda and JR keep a very loose structure to their collaboration, seeing where their collective vision takes them, and appreciating each other’s work and perspective, even as they playfully criticize each other. And the people they encounter in their journeys all feel genuine, never playing to a camera, which is important to making this film work.

Most documentaries nowadays tackle serious and/or tragic stories, as could be seen in this past year’s Oscar slate. Police brutality, Russian doping, financial scandals, and the Syrian civil war are all important topics, but all end up being downers in the end. “Faces Places”, by contrast, is incredibly positive despite some topics about old age, engaging people to participate in its creation rather than exclusively appreciating the final product. It’s still important that we cover the other topics, and all four documentaries did so incredibly, but we also need stories that lift the heart as well, and this film does just that.

“Faces Places” (2017) is a whimsical documentary by Varda and JR, a collaboration that creates a symbolic bridge between French New Wave and contemporary street art. Fun concepts are born from their work, bringing the power of art to everyday life, and enhancing the latent power found in smaller communities. Viewers who are looking for a positive documentary that warms the heart rather than shocks the conscience need look no further.

Hi everyone!

It’s Friday, so you know what that means! Andrew Campbell is back with another Fantastic Fest feature film, which also scores exceptionally well at Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. And as promised, he’s here to give us “give the 411 on this 911 story”. Like I’d forget that little gem! For a few other films from the Danish film scene, check out “Häxan” (Episode #131), “Borg vs McEnroe” (Episode #231), Keith’s review for “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” (Episode #452), and Andrew’s previous review for “In Order of Disappearance” (Episode #390). And if you have any suggestions, let us know at onemoviepunch.com or reach out over social media. 

Take it away, Andrew!

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Hello film fans-

Andrew here - back this week with a low-key, single-setting slow-burn critical darling out of Denmark that just hit Hulu with zero fanfare. Not knowing much about Danish cinema, I pulled up a list of the top 20 Danish films of all time. Unsurprisingly, I had heard of (but never seen) just two of the movies. Even less of a surprise: Mads Mikkelsen, the only Danish actor I’m aware of, played a role in five of the films. Mads has been prolific of late with his film “Polar” hitting Netflix just one week before he hit theaters with “Arctic”. No definitive word yet whether he’s been cast in the “Frozen” sequel. What does all this have to do with today’s film? Not a darn thing, I’m just now climbing out of the Wikihole to say...

Without further ado, today’s movie is “The Guilty”, co-written and directed by Gustav Möller. “The Guilty” made its Austin debut at Fantastic Fest. If memory serves, this film and one other were last-minute additions that were already making the festival circuit and thus it was not a high-profile premiere. The ultra-low-budget film pulled in just over $3M internationally but has already been set up for an American remake with Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role.

The film stars Jakob Cedergren (a skinnier, Danishier John Cena lookalike) as Asger Holm, a police officer under disciplinary review operating a phone in an emergency call center. The camera never leaves that setting and Asger is on screen nearly every minute of the film’s brief runtime. Though not quite taking place in real time, the film revolves around a mysterious incoming call from a kidnapped woman. Asger attempts to rescue the woman, whom we never see, using his available resources while we learn more about why Asger has been place on desk duty.

If the concept of a film centered around a 911 operator sounds familiar, you may be thinking of 2013’s “The Call”, starring Halle Berry. It was good popcorn entertainment, but ultimately forgettable. Here, director Möller starts with a similar protagonist, who is going through some mental anguish of his own, while dealing with a tense call that goes well beyond his normal duties. Möller has written a twisty, suspenseful script and given himself the lofty challenge of telling the entire story without ever showing us what’s happening on the other end of the phone. The direction is excellent with camera angles shifting and zooming at the right moments to keep the viewer engaged despite the limited options.

Jakob Cedergren turns in a solid performance as the nuanced Asger Holm. Holm is shown as short-tempered and unsympathetic during a couple unnecessary emergency calls at the beginning of the film. He’s brusque with his coworkers and conflicts with his manager. In spite of how abrasive he comes off, you can slowly discern the man underneath who is ultimately good-intentioned, and the character grows on you in an organic way. This is certainly important, because in the end the films plays as a character study of this one individual.

What makes “The Guilty” fantastic?

It’s a simple idea that turns on two or three wild plot twists and does not overstay its welcome. The near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score is slightly deceiving, in that this film probably won’t make your top 10 of the year you watch it and maybe not even your top 50.(Wait- how many movies do normal humans watch in a year?) There’s really nothing here to dislike so you would be hard-pressed to find anyone that would give it a negative review, but it’s not going to blow you away. 

“The Guilty” (2018) is clever work of suspense that keeps you guessing while requiring patience to navigate the subtle visuals and subtitles. Fans of “The Call” or screen-life films such as “Unfriended” or the incredible 2018 film “Searching” (One Movie Punch Episode #246) will enjoy this one.

Rotten Tomatoes: 99% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 83 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 7.4/10 

“The Guilty” is rated R and is currently streaming on Hulu.

Come back April 19th. I’ll be reviewing Gaspar Noé’s “Climax”. Spring Break is upon us and nothing says party like a group of French dancers tripping out on LSD in a film by an auteur director known mostly for his dripping visuals and desire to shock his audience. See you then.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to our final Certified Fresh cleanup film for the week, this time from our good friend Keith Lyons, who’ll let you know if everything in this film was, in fact, awesome. For a few other stop-motion animated films, check out our reviews for “Loving Vincent” (Episode #175), “Early Man” (Episode #367), and “Isle of Dogs” (Episode #368). I would also highly recommend one of my favorite films from 2017, “Kubo and the Two Strings” for some exquisite stop-motion work. Got any favorites? Let us know by reaching out over social media, or at onemoviepunch.com.

Take it away, Keith!

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Hi, Philly Film Fan here with another review for One Movie Punch. Follow me on Twitter at PhillyFilmFan.

Today’s movie is “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part”, the film directed by Mike Mitchell and written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. This is actually the fourth film in the Lego-verse, following “The Lego Batman Movie” and “The Lego Ninjago Movie” and it feels like the franchise is starting to suffer from the law of diminishing returns.

Spoilers ahead but only for the first Lego movie.

First of all, let me say that I’m a huge fan of the original Lego movie and “The Lego Batman Movie”. I skipped “The Lego Ninjago Movie” but it seems like most people did too. I love the aesthetic of these films and how the animation is purposely limited to match the movement of the actual toys. ”The Lego Movie 2” gives you more of the same, which makes this enjoyable but somewhat redundant. For instance, this film tries to cash in on the success of “Everything is Awesome”, not only with its own bubblegum pop earworm titled, appropriately “Catchy Song”, but with a reprise of the original tune as well.

One of the things I love most about the original Lego movie is the reveal at the end, which shows us that the entire Lego universe is just a boy playing with his toys (and also clearly working through some daddy issues). Since the cat is already out of the bag on that secret, this film breaks up its “real life” segments, and disperses them throughout the film. Jadon Sand returns to reprise his role of Finn, the boy from the first film and, while Maya Rudolph and Brooklynn Prince are welcome additions to the cast, playing Finn’s mother and sister, their story doesn’t pack the emotional punch of the original.

The voice-over cast of “The Lego Movie 2” is pretty uniformly great. All the characters you love from the first film are back, such as Elizabeth Banks as Wyldstyle, Alison Brie as Unikitty, Nick Offerman as Metalbeard, and Charlie Day as Benny who, with his cracked space helmet, was my favorite Lego toy as a kid. They are joined by a talented batch of newcomers, such as Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, Richard Ayoade, and Ben Schwartz. Chris Pratt both returns as Emmet Brickowski and debuts a new character, Rex Dangervest. Their combined charm allows the film to coast on its recycled material... but, in the end, it’s not enough to elevate this to the heights of the original.

“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” is a fun movie that doesn’t really seem like it has a reason to exist. Although I think it has a great message for kids, I can’t help but feel like someone just took all of the elements from the original and rearranged the pieces to make something new. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 65

One Movie Punch: 6.5/10

“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” (2019) is rated PG and is currently playing in theaters.

This jawn was brought to you by Philly Film Fan. For more movie reviews, follow me on Twitter at PhillyFilmFan where I’m participating in the #365Movies challenge. That’s P-H-I-L-L-Y-F-I-L-M-F-A-N.

Hi everyone!

We’re continuing Certified Fresh cleanup with an unlikely film about entering the world of professional wrestling. Our good friend Garrett Wright of Two Views Movies will be up in a moment to raise his arms from the top turnbuckle before delivering a crushing elbow of a review. OH YEAH! Really shouldn’t be doing that recovering from a sore throat. For another film about wrestling, in the Greco-Roman style, check out our review for “First Match” (Episode #093). And if you have any suggestions, let us know at onemoviepunch.com or reach out over social media.

Take it away, Garrett!

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Today’s movie is “Fighting with My Family”, the wrestling-based dramedy directed and written by Stephen Merchant. “Fighting with My Family” is the story of Paige, a girl born into a tight-knit wrestling family and who, along with her brother, is ecstatic when they get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for the WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she must leave her loved ones behind and face this new cutthroat world alone. Paige’s journey pushes her to dig deep and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star. 

All spoilers have been pinned for a 3-count so keep on listening.

WWE Studios has turned out some high-quality gems over the years such as “The Marine” and “12 Rounds” franchises, “The Chaperone”, and a host of other direct-to-video quality movies that were primarily created to serve as a vehicle for whichever WWE Superstar was hot at the time. So it was incredibly hard not be jaded about “Fighting With My Family” even after overwhelmingly positive reviews began to trickle in. The overarching question became “is this good for a WWE movie or is this actually a good movie overall?” Bolstered by a cast that feels genuine and writing that breathes life into each character while weaving them together in meaningful ways, the answer quickly becomes clear.

Writer and director Stephen Merchant is no stranger to nuanced stories that run the emotional gamut. Working with Ricky Gervais, Merchant has co-written several successful TV series including “The Office”, “Extras”, and “Life’s Too Short”. All of which feature similar down-to-Earth styles that explore the humanity of characters and the interconnectedness between them. This allows the film to have a much-needed emotional core. Merchant smartly recognizes that a film centered around wrestling runs the risk of feeling hollow and unappealing to a wide audience. But a film that focuses on the entire family that just so happens to be wrestlers, allows him to use his well-honed style to draw the audience into the story and make them emotionally invested.

Bringing the well-crafted script to life is a group of actors that quickly make you feel as though you’re watching a real family. While Florence Pugh’s performance as Paige is front and center for the entire movie, just as much credit should be given to Nick Frost, Lena Headey, and Jack Lowden. Frost and Headey’s turns as the oddball, off-kilter parents who started their kids in wrestling, afford the story equal moments of levity and heart. Lowden’s turn as Paige’s older brother Zack is dynamic — ranging from arrogant and driven to desperate and despondent. Though not a family member and even seeming to be simply playing himself, Vince Vaughn comes through as the tough trainer that puts the capstone of life lessons on those the family has already established. Together, all of them fuel the story of Paige that Pugh is able to channel onto the screen so well. In a role that is both physically and emotionally demanding, Pugh is the standout that will be talked about for many future roles.

“Fighting With My Family” is a fun, enjoyable movie that every member of your family can enjoy. From the physicality of the wrestling for your brother to the tale of female empowerment for your sister. From the heartwarming family relationships that moms will enjoy to the quirkily-funny dad moments that, well, your dad will enjoy. Oh yeah — and there’s that cameo by The Rock that everyone will enjoy. “Fighting With My Family” is easily the undisputed champion of movies made by WWE Studios. But, more importantly, it is actually a good movie overall.

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (Certified Fresh)

Metacritic: 68

One Movie Punch: 6.5/10 

“Fighting with My Family” was released in theaters on February 22, 2019 and is rated PG-13.

Thanks for listening to my review here at One Movie Punch. If you like what you heard – or didn’t – reach out to me on Twitter at @TwoViewsGarrett and let me know. I’ll be back soon with more reviews on One Movie Punch, but you can always find me on the Two Views Movies podcast.

I will catch you next time.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast as we continue getting caught up on a few Certified Fresh films recently (or currently) in the theaters. Today, we get that rare trilogy closer that ends up being as good or better than the previous entries. What does Ryan think about the film? He’ll let you know in a few seconds.

If you’re looking for a few other animated films, check out our reviews for “Incredibles 2” (Episode #169), “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (Episode #212), “Next Gen” (Episode #252), “Isle of Dogs” (Episode #368), and the 2019 Oscar and Golden Globe Winner for Best Animated Feature, “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse” (Episode #381). And if you have any suggestions, reach out over social media, or let us know at onemoviepunch.com.

Take it away, Ryan!

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Today’s movie is “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”, the final chapter in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy released in February 2019. The film is written and directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, joined by writer Will Davies, starring an all-star voice cast, with music by John Powell.

What began as an unlikely friendship between an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon has become an epic adventure spanning their lives. Welcome to the most astonishing chapter of one of the most beloved animated franchises in film history. Now chief and ruler of Berk alongside Astrid, Hiccup has created a gloriously chaotic dragon utopia. When the sudden appearance of female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, Hiccup and Toothless must leave the only home they’ve known to journey to a hidden world thought only to exist in myth. As their true destines are revealed, dragon and rider will fight together to the very ends of the Earth to protect everything they’ve grown to treasure.

“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” delivers a beautiful story that takes full advantage of Dean DeBlois' epic fantasy world of highflying adventure with a great deal of heart. We’ve witnessed our favorite characters mature and grow, and this growth enables the audience to identify and empathize with the animal and human characters thus giving the film incredible emotional weight. Not only do the characters demonstrate personal growth over the nine years we've enjoyed Berk and all its wonders, they exhibit tangible evidence of interpersonal societal growth as this Viking kingdom learns to love and cherish creatures they once feared. Toothless takes center stage as he too, along with our friends from Berk, must grow up. Both Toothless and Hiccup experience the powerful dynamic of love as it greatly affects one's actions. While many were wondering if this trilogy could pull off a Toy Story 3, after the immense success of the first two (especially “How To Train Your Dragon 2”, suffice it to say) DreamWorks Animation delivers a superlative animated motion picture complete with all the feels.

As immersive and excellent as the film's visuals are, the characters are even more complex and deep. In fact, the film depicts one of the best friendships of any film ever. The key characters, and even the supporting cast, demonstrate love, loss, maturity, growth, and more. Although this is the final installment in the franchise, the characters are still treated with finesse and given room to grow within the movie and to complete the arcs for the trilogy. Often, Toothless and Hiccup parallel one another; they possess traits that complement one another. This added complexity to their respective characters gives them so much depth. More than a commentary on independence or freedom, this film chooses to depict complex emotions such as love between friends, family, and romantic love. And these subjects are not just talked about--exposition would be too easy and lazy--there are many moments that are visually driven, thus increasing the level of emotional impact. One of my favorite moments that deals with both the letting go of the past in order to bloom and grow is the courtship dance scene between Toothless and the Light Fury. Love is not without sacrifice. And in the exploration of relationships and independence, we are reminded of the emotional cost associated with these concepts. Paralleling this exploration of relationships between lovers, family, and friends is the journey of rising to the call and becoming a leader of one's people. It's the ideal journey for this final installment because it completes the hero's journey for Hiccup and Toothless.

While some animated trilogies suffer the longer the franchise goes on, the quality of the animation in this film is outstanding! As beautiful as the dragon flight sequences were in the first and second movies, Hidden World delivers an even more epic flight scene in this film. During the flight sequence into the Hidden World of dragons, I was reminded of Navi River Journey and Flight of Passage in Pandora: the World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Never felt like a ripoff, but certainly feels inspired by the attraction. The commitment to the art of animated world creation reaches incredible heights! Every scene, every moment, every setting is completely immersive. In many ways, it out-Pixars Pixar. Like with other animated films, if this one had a Pixar logo on it instead of DreamWorks, then even more people would be singing its praises.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

IMDB: 7.9

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10

“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” is rated PG and is set to be released in May 2019 for streaming and DVD/Blu-Ray.

Hi everyone!

We’re back today with a film I’ve been waiting to see since the second I finished my first viewing of “Get Out” (Episode #448). I did my very best to avoid all trailers (after the first one because I couldn’t help myself), and to avoid reading any specific reviews or assessments. It was how I ended up walking into “Get Out”, and it always seemed like the right way to do it.

On to the review!

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Today’s movie is “Us” (2019), the social thriller written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele. The film follows Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o), and her family on a summer vacation to Santa Cruz, California. After an emotional day at the beach, they return home, and are attacked during the night by a family of doppelgangers in red jump suits. And then things get really weird.

No spoilers, but I am going to reference parts of the film available in trailers as presented. If you want a completely fresh experience, go to the theater now.

Second films are tough. On the one hand, you can ride that wave of hype all the way to opening night, as the upwards of $70 million at the box office this weekend will gladly attest. On the other hand, you will also have a subset of the fans who will have impossible expectations, and no shortage of haters looking for any reason to criticize your next work. You need to capitalize on everything you did right. You need to go bigger, but not too big. Just big enough to make sure they want the next one. You gotta show that you aren’t a one-trick pony, and that there is a well of ideas ready for exploration. And all eyes are on you.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that “Us” is probably one of the most anticipated films in recent years. And let’s face it, when your first film is an undisputed gem like “Get Out”, which earns you a Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and ends up being the biggest thing to happen to the horror genre in decades... well, what do you even do for a follow-up? Apparently you do a deeply introspective look at childhood trauma and hidden natures that expands into a larger social narrative, and on a much larger scale than the viewer might expect.

If “Get Out” was a film about a new perspective, then “Us” is a film about twisting perspectives, especially in the light of new information presented to the viewer. The trailer itself is full of brilliant misdirection, laying out the path for the film without much of a hint about the deeper story behind Adelaide’s past. The film opens with an extended scene from Adelaide’s childhood, which answers some preliminary questions while asking quite a few others, along with an almost non-sequitur opening credits scene. It does a nice job of launching us right into the story while fueling the curiosity of what’s to come, and how all the trailer clips will fall into the overall story. And along the way, we slowly begin accepting the increasing madness around Adelaide. Lupita Nyong’o takes center stage as Adelaide, building off the emotion of her past, and extending that fear into her present day concerns as a mother returning to a place of trauma.

Another notable difference between “Get Out” and “Us” is the scope of the film. In “Get Out”, one feels like they’re zeroing in on the mystery, out in a relatively remote part of the country. In “Us”, one feels like the mystery continues to grow around them, and expands beyond the confines of the property line. It’s an interesting way to meet a number of second movie challenges, and I think Peele does it very well and in an uncompromising manner. I mean, he wrote and directed “Get Out”, he gets to strut and pirouette if he wants to. Each twist in “Us” forces the viewer to re-examine their assumptions, and by the time we reach the end, we’ve come to a lot of different conclusions. It’s not a film for hot takes.

The entire Wilson family, including Winston Duke as father Gabe, Shahadi Wright Joseph as daughter Zora, and Evan Alex as son Jason, does a nice job with their dual roles as their doppelgangers. The obvious metaphors for hidden natures and the difference between our private and public faces are abundant throughout the film, central to the overall premise on a personal level. The film is also abundant with social metaphors, including the ongoing division between political beliefs, the immense disparity between the haves and the have nots, and a not-so-obvious look at the prison/industrial complex, discussion of which is sadly impossible to remain spoiler free.

Now, is this film better than “Get Out”? Absolutely not. Few films will ever be better than “Get Out”, and if that’s the scale on which to judge this film, then I would never give out another 10 in my life. But is “Us” still a great film? Absolutely, one of the best I’ve seen in a while, and one that will be the subject of much discussion and debate, about real and perceived meaning, and most importantly, how to do a second film when the first one leaves unrealistic expectations, and without compromising your vision in the process. No question there will be more films to come from Jordan Peele, and I’m already excited for the next one.

“Us” is a story of twisted expectations, beginning in a very personal space and ending in a most unexpected place. Jordan Peele creates another excellent horror film that challenges both our perspectives and our expectations, with his usual uncompromising vision. If you loved “Get Out”, then you’ll love this one, as long as you’re willing to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 81 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 10/10

“Us” (2019) is rated Rand is currently playing in theaters.

Hi everyone!

It’s a special review today for One Movie Punch. In preparation for this weekend’s release of Jordan Peele’s “Us”, I went back to watch “Get Out” for the first time since seeing it twice in the theaters. I always planned to review the film after starting the podcast, but I just never got around to it. So, with my review for “Us” coming up tomorrow, I thought reviewing “Get Out” the day before seemed like the right thing to do. And I definitely have a lot to say. 

Later this week, we’ll have reviews from Ryan L. Terry, Garrett Wright, Keith Lyons, Andrew Campbell, and one more from yours truly. We’re also gearing up for a week of Spring Break films in April. If you have any favorites, let us know over social media, or at onemoviepunch.com. And if you feel like supporting the podcast, you can always contribute to our Patreon fund at patreon.com/onemoviepunch. All funds go to making this podcast possible.

On to the review!

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Today’s movie is “Get Out”, the breakout social horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele. The film follows photographer Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), who is heading into the country with his white girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) to meet her parents. However, not everything is as it seems in the Armitage household, and Chris must do everything he can to get out. Jordan Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay at the 2018 Oscars. The film also received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Daniel Kaluuya was nominated for Best Actor.

No spoilers.

Perspective is an important concept for understanding our modern world. Each of us has a perspective, shaped by our families and our friends, our experiences and our education. We refine that perspective by looking for examples that support our views, or trying to understand or rationalize away examples that don’t. Until recently, however, not all of our perspectives were reflected in the entertainment industry, and for a long time, it showed. Women were often reduced to caricatures. People of color were often mocked or reduced to tokenism. LGBTQ people weren’t even allowed on the screen, or only in the most offensive ways. Whole perspectives either missing or masked or only marketed towards homogenous markets. Without those perspectives, we miss out on the opportunities to understand another’s experience, and to understand the larger social problems around us. And it offers us a unique opportunity to tell tales from these many missing perspectives.

Which brings us to “Get Out”, a film that’s all about perspective, and in particular the perspective of a black man meeting his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time. Meeting the parents is a stressful situation, but for Chris, it’s that stress *plus* having to navigate the social and racial politics that go along with it. Daniel Kaluuya does an amazing job capturing that stress and fear, from the initial planning and packing, to the car ride to meet the parents, to the all too awkward conversations with Rose’s parents, expertly played by Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener, not to mention the more than awkward conversations with Rose’s brother Jeremy, played by Caleb Landry Jones. Every microaggression, intentional or not, becomes a social battleground, and it forces us to challenge our own perspectives. I certainly flinched more than once when I saw my own awkward behavior interacting with people of color reflected back at me on the screen.

Jordan Peele certainly had a lot of experience on “Key & Peele” tackling these microaggressions with white characters in a comedic way, but placing them within the context of a horror film made them all the most sinister. Subsequent viewings deepen those battlegrounds, as you begin to notice the deep subtext in the dialogue. However, Chris also struggles with the lack of authenticity from the black characters he meets, especially during an extended conversation with Georgina (Betty Gabriel), the Armitage’s maid. It creates a lot of doubt about identities.

As events unfold, it becomes even more difficult to know who to trust, especially when the only and least likely voice of reason in the film is Chris’s best friend, dog sitter and TSA agent, Rod Williams (Lil Rel Howery). Rod’s character also serves a brilliant thematic purpose, though, playing on the stereotype of people screaming at characters in horror films to stop doing stupid things. He becomes an unlikely guide for Chris to avoid falling into the trap of tokenism for black characters in horror movies, a perfect subversion of tokenism when combined with Kaluuya’s incredible performance. Cultural appropriation by the wealthy is another prominent theme within the film, one I can’t really dive too much into without spoilers.

I’ve seen the film three times now, which for a media consumer like myself is a rare event. The first time I was on the edge of my seat. The second time, which I dragged One Movie Spouse to, I started to notice all the amazing little details in the dialogue, the story, and the sets. This last time confirmed for me just how well put together the film is as a whole. Nothing is wasted. Every scene is just long enough with just the right amount of dialogue. Details in the story and the imagery weave together nicely. The pacing is a slow acceleration, with just the right amount of comedy relief when needed.

You can tell the film was a labor of love for Jordan Peele, but “Get Out” has become much more than that. For Jordan Peele, it has opened up many, many doors, including rebooting “The Twilight Zone”, a new show called “Lovecraft Country” which of course has my attention, a reboot of “Candyman”, and tomorrow’s review for his follow-up, “Us”. It has opened up the genre of social horror films to a new revival, with new perspectives, and a rediscovering of old classics. I would even argue that “Get Out” gave another jolt of legitimacy to the horror genre as a whole. We need new perspectives because they give us new insight into ourselves and our society, and horror films offer perhaps the best way to address those issues. And thanks to Jordan Peele, we’re seeing a lot more perspectives being included, and all of us are reaping the rewards.

“Get Out” is a modern masterpiece about racial politics and cultural appropriation, that uses the horror genre in new and subversive ways. Jordan Peele crafts an excellent script, then brings together a film that has everything it needs and wastes nothing. “Get Out” continues to impact the horror genre today, and will be studied by generations to come as one of the best films of all time.

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 84 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 10/10 

“Get Out” (2017) is rated Rand is available for rent and purchase from major digital outlets.

What the... Get Out! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!!!!

Hi everyone! 

Welcome back to our final review for the week, this time a throwback review for a cult favorite from the late 1990s, which went on to spawn two live-action sequels and two animated sequels, plus a half-hour animated television series. Now, Sgt. Shane “Rico” Hyde will be up in a moment to recount his experiences from the front line, but in the meantime, for a few other futuristic science-fiction films, check out “The Cloverfield Paradox” (Episode #044), “Mute” (Episode #055), “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (Episode #082), “Upgrade” (Episode #155), and Shane’s review for “Event Horizon” (Episode #254).

Move out, Sgt. Hyde!

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This is Sergeant Shane "Rico" Hyde. My friends call me Sergeant. You can call me Sergeant. Now listen up. We're about to go back in time to 1997; Starship Troopers. This movie didn't just bring sexy back to fascism. Sexy wasn't cleared to leave! Let's cut to the chase! What you're about to see is not propaganda. It's a documentary. A handbook for VICTORY. Starship Troopers is filled with so much winning that you'll ask director Paul Verhoeven "Sir, stop! We can't handle all this winning!" Would you like to know more?

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“Starship Troopers”, the real-life documentary of our heroes in the Mobile Infantry, Fleet, and Psi-Corps, was directed by Citizen Paul Verhoeven and written for the screen by Citizen Edward Neumeier, based on the prophetic writings of Citizen Robert A. Heinlein. Reference its entry on IMDB using the links provided. 

Researching Guarantees Citizenship!

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Aaaaah, I love the smell of nostalgia in the morning, and this movie brings it in spades. Deliberately channeling the war films of the 1940s and 50s, sprinkling in a liberal dash of blood and gore just to whet your appetite, and wrapping it all up in that beautiful bow of relevant satire that is more relevant today than it was yesterday. I'll touch briefly on the fascist trappings of the film; the uniforms, the 'inhuman, faceless foes', and the society in which it all happens. Starship Troopers knowingly makes this a possible future for the human race. And what a well-dressed future it is! Look at Neil Patrick Harris. He's dressed to kill! This fascist state eliminates sexism, it eliminates racism; the only difference that matters is the difference between civilians and citizens. Would you like to know more?

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Today’s documentary review is brought to you by the Ministry of Public Information and by One Movie Punch. To stay informed on ways to serve your country, subscribe to One Movie Punch using the links provided.

Subscribing Guarantees Citizenship!

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Service Guarantees Citizenship!

Sign up with Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards and Dina Meyer as they face the insectoid threat pouring out of Klendathu. Enjoy seeing Clancy Brown return to the front lines and the great Michael Ironside teach the youth the benefits of citizenship and the foes that are the arachnoids. These. Bugs. Must. Be. Eradicated. Join the Mobile Infantry, Fleet or Psi-Corps to protect the Earth. Never forget Buenos Aires.

Service Guarantees Citizenship!

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Only a little dated, the effects - digital and practical - hold up after 20 years in the archives. The roles are well cast, but the satire is pitch-perfect. As relevant now as it was then. Watch in awe and amazement as the brave soldiers of the Mobile Infantry eliminate scores of arachnid foes.

They are some very fine people. Very fine people indeed.

And despite what you may have heard “Starship Troopers” is followed by four live action and animated sequels of varying quality, all of it excellent, and a rather good animated television series, and a legacy that future societies can only aspire to.

Everyone fights! No one quits!

Would you like to know more?

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Guys, it’s a great movie, but seriously, fascism is bad, mmmkay? We’re just having fun here at One Movie Punch and... Sergeant, we’ve located the bug sympathizer. Take him in, boys! We’ll have him demoted to civilian, if not branded a traitor and put to death. Threat eliminated, sir. You may continue with your briefing.

Disobedience Revokes Citizenship!

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Starship Troopers is rated MA, meaning it's for everyone with the drive to become a citizen in the Federation.

Rotten Tomatoes: 62%

Metacritic: 51

Both reviewed by civilians who couldn't make the grade. Trust me. 

One Movie Punch: 9.0/10

Sgt. Hyde, you forgot to mention it’s playing with ads on Crackle!